embered that I was in a strange country where, lacking him, I should
not have lived or could continue to do so, I fell into his humour.
Moreover, I promised that I would remain still and neither speak,
nor smile, nor rise from my chair unless he bade me. So there I sat
glittering in the hot sunshine which burned me through the armour.

Then Kari went ashore and was absent for some time. At length among the
trees and undergrowth I heard the sound of people talking in a strange
tongue. Presently they appeared on the bank of the creek, a great number
of them, very curious people, brown-skinned with long, lank black hair
and large eyes, but not over-tall in stature; men, women and children
together.

Among them were some who wore white robes whom I took to be their
gentlefolk, but the most of them had only cloths or girdles about their
middles. Leading the throng was Kari, who, as it appeared from the
bushes, waved his hand and pointed me out seated in the shining armour
on the ship, the visor up to show my face and the long sword in my hand.
They stared, then, with a low, sighing exclamation, one and all fell
upon their faces and rubbed their brows upon the ground.

As they lay there Kari addressed them, waving his arms and pointing
towards me from time to time. Afterwards I learned that he was telling
them I was a god, for which lie may his soul be forgiven.

The end of it was that he bade them rise and led certain of them who
wore the white robes across the planks to the ship. Here, while they
hung back, he advanced towards me, bowing and kissing the air till
he drew near, then he went upon his knees and laid his hands upon my
steel-clad feet. More, from the bosom of his robe he drew out flowers
which he placed upon my knees as though in offering.

"Now, Master," he whispered to me, "rise and wave your sword and shout
aloud, to show that you are alive and not an image."

So up I sprang, circling Wave-Flame about my head and roaring like any
bull of Bashan, for my voice was always loud and carried far. When
they saw the bright sword whirling through the air and heard these
bellowings, uttering cries of fear, those poor folk fled. Indeed most of
them fell from the plank into the mud, where one stuck fast and was like
to drown, had not Kari rescued him, which his brethren were in too great
haste to do.

After they had gone Kari came and said that everything went well and
that henceforward I was not a man but the Spir